Finger-moistener.



W. G. VOGELPOHL.

FINGER MOISTENER. APPLICATION FILED JAN.6,1912.

1,056, 1 34. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

gwumto'a Marga ooh z.

. Hanna;

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

ICE.

WILLIAM C. VOGELPOHL, OF ADDIEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

FINGER-MOISTENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM C. VOGEL- POHL, citizen of the United States, residing at Addieville, in the county of WVashington and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Finger- Hoisteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to finger moisteners especially adapted for the use of bank clerks and others who have occasion to handle money, paper, bills, etc., and the object of the invention is to provide a simple moistener which may be positioned upon a stationary object or which may be attached to the clothing of the user, and which will retain the moisture and at the same time is provided with a protruding tab which is dampened and which may be readily grasped for moistening the fingers or thumb.

With this object in view the moistener includes a can adapted to contain water. This can is surrounded by a pad which closes openings that are provided in the edge of the can. The pad is provided with a tab. The can and the pad are received within a casing and the casing is provided with a detachable cap having an opening through which the tab projects. hen the moistener is in position to be used the tab is at the lower portion of the same so that the water seeps through the lowermost openings in the can and dampens the pad and the tab. If desired, one side of the tab may be provided with an impervious material, as for instance rubber or celluloid, so that the other side only of the tab presents a moist surface. This is resorted to when it is intended to moisten one finger or the thumb only. Then it is desired to moisten two fingers or a finger and the thumb, the said material is dispensed with so that the opposite sides of the tab present moist surfaces.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construc- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 6, 1912.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Serial No. 669,901.

tion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following de scription and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the finger moistener, showing the tab exposed; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, illustrating the tab inclosed; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the moistener; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the can and pad of the moistener, illustrating the said parts separated.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

The moistener includes a can 1 which is elliptical in side elevation and which is provided at its end portions with perforations 2 and 3. The perforations 3 are smaller than the perforations-2. A flat spring 4 is fixed. to one side of the can 1 and is provided with an end portion which normally stands out from the side of the said can. A pad 5 fits snugly around the elliptical side of the can 1 and is adapted to be slipped edgewise in position thereon. The said pad is provided at its lower portion with an outstanding tab 6. The pad and tab are made of felt or other suitable absorbent material.

A casing 7 is provided for the reception of the can 1 and the pad 5. This casing is openat one end, as at 8, and is provided in one side with a slot 9 having at one end an inturned lip 10.

Then the can 1 is in position in the casing 7 the end of the spring 4 bears against the lip 10 and thus the can is held in position in the casing. When it is desired to remove the can from the casing, the tip of the finger or a pointed implement is projected through the slot 9 and the end of the spring 4L is pushed away from the lip 10. When the spring clears the inner end of the lip, the can and its attached parts maybe readily removed from the casing.

The can 1 and the casing 7 are made from sheet metal and the casing is provided in the vicinity of its ends with stamped out ribs 11. it resilient rod 12 is soldered or otherwise secured to one side of the casing 7 at a point between the ribs 11 and has end portions that extend over the ribs and are spaced from the side of the casing beyond the ribs. These end portions of the rod 12 are provided with indentations 13. it hook 1d, of wire or other suitable material is attached to one side of the casing 7. Caps 15 and 16 are provided. for the casing. The cap 15 is imperforate and is provided at one side with a stamped out lug 17, while the cap 16 is provided with a perforation 1S and is also provided at one side with a lug 19.

/Vhen the cap 16 is over the end of the casing T which is provided with the open ing, the tab 6 protrudes through the perforation 18. ft'hen the said cap 16 is in this position. one of the indentations 13 receives the lug 19, whereby the said cap is held in position upon the casin The cap 15 may tit over the closed end of the casing 7, and when in this position the other indentation 18 in the rod 12 receives the lug 17, whereby the said cap 15 is held in position.

W hen the device is not in use the position of the caps is reversed from that just above described so that the imperforate cap 15 closes the opening at the end of the casing T and when this is done the tab 6 is folded within the casing.

Tfhen it is desired to use the moistener the can it is removed from the casing as hereinbefore described and the pad 5 is slipped off of the can. The can is then iminersed in water so that the water may flow in through the large perforations 2 and the air may escape through the small perforz tions lVhen the can is filled with water the pad 5 is slipped back in position upon the same and the can is slipped into the :asing so that the smaller perforations 3 are at the lower part of the casing and just above the tab ll hen the device is in position upon the clothing of the user or when it is supported upon a fixed object the tab is at the lower portion of the moistener, and consequently the water from the can will seep out through the smaller perforations 3 and moisten the pad From the pad 5 the moisture passes down into the tab 6 and dampens the same. Thus whenever the user is about to handle paper or hills, he may bring his finger or thumb in contact with the tab and moisten the same. If desired both sides of the tab (5 may be left exposed so that two fingers or a finger and the thumb may be moistened at one time. if desired, however, a strip 530, of impervious material, may he applied to one side of the tab 6 so that the said tab will have one moistened side only exposed. Thus when the device is used when the strip is applied but one tinger or the thumb is dampened.

W hen the moistener is not in use the cap 16 which is provided with the perforation 18 is placed over the closed end of the casing 7, and the cap 15 which is imperforate is placed over the open end of the casing 17, and thus the moisture in the pad 5 and can 1 is prevented from evaporating.

Therefore it will be seen that a simple device is provided for attachment to the clothing of a user and which may he con veniently used for moistening the fingers, and when the device is notin use it may he effectually closed to prevent leakage and evaporation of the moisture.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A moistener comprising a can having perforations, a pad located on the can and closing the perforations and having a tab, and a casing for the can and pad and having a perforation through whichv the tah protrudes.

2. A moistener comprising a can having perforations, a pad surrounding the can and closing the perforations and having a tab, a spring attached to the can, a casing which receives the can and pad and having an inturned lug against which the end of the spring bears, and a cap for closing the casing and having a perforation through which the tab protrudes.

3. A moistener comprising a can of ellip tical configuration having perforations, a continuous pad surrounding the elliptical side of the can and having a tab, and a casing which receives the can and pad and having a detachable cap provided with a perforation through which the tab protrudes.

d. it moistener comprising a can having perforations, a pad located thereon and closing the perforations and having a tab, a casing having an open end, said casing inclosing the can and pad, and a cap detachably mounted upon the casing and having a perforation through which the tab protrudes. 3i moistener comprising a can having perforations, a pad carried by the can and closing the perforations and provided with a tab, a casing which receives the can and pad, caps detachably applied to the ends of the casing and interchangeable in their positions thereon. one of the caps being imperf rate and the other cap having a perforation through which the tab may protrude.

6. A moistener comprising a can having perforations, a pad carried by the can and closing the perforations and provided with a tab, caps detachably applied to the ends of the casing and interchangeable in their positions thereon, said caps having outstanding lugs, and a resilient member attached to the casing and having notched end por tions adapted to receive the lugs of the caps, one of the caps being formed With an opening through which the said tab is arranged to project when the cap is fitted upon the respective end of the casing.

7. In a device of the class described, a container having perforations therein, an absorbent pad disposed against the perforated area of the container and provided 10 with a tab, a casing for the container and pad having an opening through which the tab projects, and a sheet of impervious material covering one side of the tab.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM C. VOGELPOHL.

Witnesses:

GAsPAR H. VOGELPOHL, HENRY BRENNECKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Bstents, Washington, D. C. 

